


Peggy Carter, meet Ms. Rosa

by giantess



Category: Agent Carter (TV)
Genre: Angie is an animal person, F/F, One Shot, Peggy doesn't like cats, Steve Rogers/Peggy Carter mention
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-22
Updated: 2015-06-22
Packaged: 2018-04-05 15:19:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,442
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4184781
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/giantess/pseuds/giantess
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Peggy has never liked cats.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Peggy Carter, meet Ms. Rosa

**Author's Note:**

> Also on my tumblr [here](http://wahaygentcarter.tumblr.com/post/122168692231/peggy-carter-meet-ms-rosa)

Peggy Carter has seen things that would cause the bravest eyes to shade themselves: soldiers pulled apart by advanced alien weapons; young children trained to kill with greater skill than most fully-grown assassins could hope to achieve; magnificent and terrible objects of origins unknown. Yet, the sight of the beast that is cradled in Angie’s arms is enough to spike horror in Peggy’s gut.

‘What on Earth is that?’

‘This is Ms. Rosa. Ms. Rosa, meet Peggy Carter.’

The cat is of a mottled black and ginger colour, and its eyes seem to hail from the deepest pits of Hell. Peggy averts her gaze, instead looking at Angie with an upturned lip and bulbous eyes.

‘What? Don’t ya like cats?’

‘Are you sure that even _is_ cat? Look at it!’

Peggy points hard at the fluffy mess in Angie’s arms. Ms. Rosa appears indifferent. Angie rolls her eyes and thrusts the cat at Peggy.

‘Here, you two bond. I gotta get ready for an audition, fancy man is picking me up at eight.’

Peggy holds Ms. Rosa at arms length. Legs dangling like useless pendulums under Peggy’s hands, Ms. Rosa glares, a low hum thrumming across her belly.

‘Nice...Kitty.’

Peggy lowers her to the floor and watches as she scurries in Angie’s direction. Rolling her eyes, she follows. Leaning against the wall, she calls into the room through the gap in the doorway.

‘It seems Ms. Rosa couldn’t keep away.’

‘Looks like she’s not the only one.’

Peggy doesn’t respond, but lets her head drop slightly in a short, breathy laugh. Composing herself, she continues, ‘What is this audition for?’

‘Not sure. It’s a last minute kind of deal; heard about it from one of the girls at the Automat.’

‘I’m sure you’ll do brilliantly.’

Angie bobs her head around the door, grinning, ‘Thanks, English,’ Emerging fully, she twirls. Peggy watches the folds of the dress ripple as she turns. ‘What d’ya think?’

‘Beautiful.’

‘Charlie said it’s a radio thing, but they still like their gals to get dolled up, ya know how it is.’

‘Indeed, I do.’ The doorbell sounds, echoing through the house. ‘That’s probably Jarvis, early as usually.’

‘I got an eight hour shift after the audition, so I’ll see you back here later, right?’ Peggy nods. Angie gives her another smile, then scurries past, brushing her arm gently as she does.

‘Good luck!’ Angie waves in response, then turns to corner and vanishes.

A low rumble sounds behind Peggy. With a sigh she turns. Ms. Rosa, she’d almost forgotten. She meows again.

‘What on Earth am I going to do with you?’

* * *

 

The audition does not go well. Peggy knows it the moment she hears the too loud crack of the door in its frame from two rooms down. Bracing herself, she emerges from the kitchen, struggling to chew a scone that Jarvis had brought that morning.

‘How did it go?’ She calls tentatively.

Angie stalks into the living room and slumps onto the couch. ‘Guess.’

‘It can’t have gone that badly.’ Angie glares from under her brow. ‘I only mean that you’re a wonderful actress, and I’m sure-’

‘Oh, I know I’m great. Turns out Marlene French, who, by the way, has beat me out of two auditions this month, really “understood the role”. They didn’t even want to see anybody else,’ She descends further into the couch, chin resting on her chest.

‘Oh, Angie, I’m sorry.’

‘And then, to make my crappy day even better, some jerk at the Automat was hasslin’ me about his bacon, then tried to pull me into his lap,’ Peggy tenses, pinching her inner-lip with her teeth, ‘Had to elbow him, just like you taught me.’

‘I’m glad... I mean, that you got away, not that he...’

‘Got it,’ She pauses, shifting over to let Peggy take the place next to her, ‘How was your day?’

Peggy sits. ‘Not as bad as yours, I suspect, though I did have to endure the usual lunch order routine.’

‘Fat-heads.’

They laugh, leaning all their weight into the back-cushions and staring straight ahead. Angie sighs, closing her eyes for a moment.

‘I could just fall asleep here.’

‘Mmm-hmm.’

Peggy closes her eyes and misses the frown the wrinkles into Angie’s brow. The cushions shuffle as she sits up. Peggy peeps through one eye.

‘Where’s Ms. Rosa?’

‘Oh, ahh, I’m sure she’s around here somewhere.’

Angie appears sceptical. ‘You didn’t scoot her off somewhere did ya?’

Peggy opens her eyes fully, placing a flat palm on her chest. ‘Of course not. Why would you think I would do that?’ Angie rolls her eyes and leans back down. Peggy follows suite with a small smile.

(In truth, she had moved the beast to the furthest point in the mansion and left her there to roam, though for a quick second she had considered contacting Jarvis and asking if he might take the cat.)

‘God, I need a drink.’

Peggy lets out a humming laugh. ‘Rum?’

* * *

 

They end up on the floor, leaning against the couch with their thighs nudged together. Top buttons undone, shirts untucked, shoes lying haphazardly across the room, they pass the bottle. Peggy withholds a grimace as she takes a gulp.

‘So, why do you hate cats?’

Peggy groans, ‘This again?’

‘Yeah,’ She mimics the voice of a sergeant, ‘You are Agent Peggy Carter, secret agent and fighting expert, so how come you’re scared by a little cat? There’s gotta be a story.’

‘Firstly, I am not scared of Ms. Rosa, or any cat for that matter.’

‘Oh, really? Is that why you jumped ten feet back when you saw her?’

‘You caught me off guard.’

‘Sure, English.’

Peggy bumps her shoulder. She means to pull away, but instead stays, leaning against Angie. ‘I have never particularly liked cats, ever since I was a child.’

‘What happened?’ She sounds more concerned than amused now.

‘Oh, nothing happened _per se_. I saw a cat and didn’t like it. Not much of a story, I’m afraid.’

A lull follows. Peggy feels her lids falling together, her head lolling onto Angie’s shoulder.

‘I think we should go to bed.’

Peggy groans. ‘But then I’ll have to wake up and deal with the wankers at work.’

‘Sorry, can’t be helped. Jerks will be jerks. Come on.’ Angie yanks herself up, knocking Peggy’s head from its perch. Her groans are louder now. Angie holds out her hand, and Peggy reluctantly takes it, stretching to her feet. The bottle, with still a few sips left, clinks as she knocks it with her foot.

Picking it up, she rattles it, ‘One for the road?’ She takes a drink and passes it on. Angie shakes her head with a laugh, but takes it nonetheless.

She drinks. ‘I think you might be the death of me, Peggy Carter.’

Peggy’s smile disapears, and with it takes the lightness from the room. ‘Don’t say that.’

‘It was just a-’

‘Don’t.’

Angie puts the bottle down and pulls Peggy towards her. She burrows her nose in Angie’s neck, hairs tickling her face.

‘I’m sorry. I’m not going any where.’

That night, Peggy tells her everything. She tells her about Colleen, about Steve. Details of her life she thought might always be too painful to speak of burst from her as from a broken dam. In the end she’s exhausted. Angie takes her by the hand and leads her to one of the bedrooms. They lie there, not touching except for Angie’s fingertips on Peggy’s back.

* * *

 

Peggy wakes aching everywhere. Mouth dry, she moans. She shifts her arms carefully, and attempts to push herself up. A disgruntled whine sounds from behind her, and Peggy halts. The weight on her back, which she had assumed to be the blanket, reveals itself.

‘Ms. Rosa.’

‘Meow.’

She lowers herself again. Claws grip at her back, and she resits the urge to fling the creature across the room. Instead, she slowly moves her arm to rock Angie’s shoulder.

‘Angie?’ Groan. ‘Angie, wake up.’ Groan. She shoves her, ‘Angie!’

Angie’s head lifts violently. Her hair branches out in various directions. ‘What? I’m awake. What... Peggy? Why?’

‘We have a visitor.’

Angie is too tired for panic. Her face scrunches in confusion, but irons itself out when she sees the cat perched on Peggy’s back.

Her laugh is low, it’s not one that Peggy’s heard before. ‘Huh, so you really didn’t get rid of her.’ Angie lifts herself onto her side and scratches behind Ms. Rosa’s ears. A purr rumbles down Peggy’s back. ‘I think she likes you.’

‘Oh, she likes me, does she? Is that why her claws are currently digging bloody craters into my back? Because she likes me?’

Angie shakes her head and lifts Ms. Rosa. White cloth clings to her paws for a moment, then snaps away with several small pops. The weight gone, Peggy yanks herself up and out of bed.

‘What time is it?’ Angie asks, laying Ms. Rosa on the now empty side of the bed.

She check the clock on the desk. ‘Half six.’ Angie groans. ‘I need to get ready for work,’ She stretches, grimacing, ‘Sleeping in my clothes always makes me feel awful.’

Angie sits up. In the haze of morning, it seems OK to stare at Peggy, her arms stretched out, skirt rucked high on her thighs. Angie sighs audibly.

‘What?’ Peggy asks, letting her arms fall to her sides.

‘Nothin’. Just I haven’t seen you when you’re not all put together. It’s nice.’

‘Seeing me in yesterday’s clothes with my make-up rubbed across my face is “nice”?’

‘Yeah,’ She stares a moment longer, then coughs, suddenly intensely interested in Ms. Rosa.

Peggy smiles as she notices the blush on Angie’s neck. ‘I’m going to get ready. I’ll see you this evening?’

Angie nods. Once she’s sure Peggy’s gone, she crumples into the pillow with a groan. ‘I’m a damned mess, Ms. Rosa.’

* * *

 

Peggy hardly has time to get through the door before Angie bounds up to her.

‘I have a surprise for you,’ Angie says in lieu of a standard greeting. Peggy drops her briefcase by the door, taking a moment to gather herself.

‘Is this an enjoyable kind of surprise? Or is this an “I set fire to the kitchen” kind of surprise? Again.’

‘Your pal’s fancy cooker’s the one to blame, but anyway, I think you’ll like this.’

Peggy shakes her head, smiling, ‘Go on then, what is it?’

Angie’s grin is wide as she gestures about the foyer. ‘Notice anything?’ Peggy raises an eye-brow. ‘Maybe something that’s not here.’

‘Angie, I don’t...’

‘The cat. There’s no cat.’

Peggy stands amazed, glancing about the now cat-free home. She beams at Angie.

‘Took her to my cousin’s this morning. Still gonna see her every now and then, but I thought you might prefer it this way.’

‘I believe this calls for a celebration.’

‘No more rum,’ Angie groans, ‘Please, no more rum.’

Peggy laughs, picking up her bag and heading in the direction of the kitchen. ‘I had been thinking more of a quiet night in with food and absolutely no alcohol.’

‘You got yourself a deal.’

* * *

 

‘Thank you,’ Peggy says once they reach a quiet moment. They’re sitting at the kitchen counter, having abandoned any idea of moving to somewhere more comfortable.

‘For getting rid of Ms. Rosa? No problem, though I do expect plenty of gratitude, preferably shown by food and/or Schnapps.’

Peggy’s head droops as a laugh turns to a thin smile. ‘No, not for the cat, though I am extremely grateful. Thank you for last night. I must have drank more than I thought; I was quite sloppy.’

‘Honey, you don’t need to thank me for that. Hell, I’m glad you told me about your past. You’re so mysterious all of the time, which I understand and all, you’re a secret agent. And it’s also part of your, uh, charm, I guess. It’s nice to get to know you a little more, though.’

Peggy continues to star at the table.

‘I’m sorry about your feller. Steve sounded like a good man.’

‘The best.’

‘Hard to replace,’ Angie cuts herself off. She hadn’t meant anything more to come out, but her mouth moves without her mind.

Peggy takes a long drink of water to soften the bulge in her throat. She pauses a while, then turns to look directly at Angie. ‘I don’t think “replacing” is quite the right word,’ Angie cocks a brow, shifting closer to Peggy, ‘I loved Steve, still do in all likelihood. Pushing somebody who won’t fit into the space that he left isn’t going to work.’

Angie looks down, dragging her arms together and hugging her shoulders. ‘Oh, right.’

‘Although, I think there might be more room than I originally thought for for someone to, ah, be in my life like he was,’ Angie tenses, looking back up, ‘Someone who slips into my life without me noticing; Someone supportive, and kind,’ She moves slowly, taking Angie’s hand and smoothing out the tension between her palms, ‘Funny, stunning.’

‘Peg...’ For once, Angie isn’t sure how to continue. She squeezes Peggy’s elbow with her free hand, trying to quell Peggy’s shivers.

‘You’ve been incredibly good to me. It’s more than I deserve.’

‘Are you kiddin’ me?’ She laughs, pulling Peggy along with her, ‘God, Pegs, I ain’t been so happy as when I’ve been here, with you.’ She rubs along her arm, rising until her hand settles against Peggy’s cheek.

Peggy leans forward, then halts. A noise, scratching, sounds from behind the window.

‘What is it?’ Angie whispers. She’s leaning so closely that Peggy doesn’t need to strain to hear.

‘I’m not sure.’

She glances towards the window as the sharp, yet quiet, sound plays against the walls of the room. Angie dares not move, looking only at Peggy’s eyes squinting furtively into the dark outside.

Peggy smirks.

‘What?’

‘Our guest has returned.’

Angie raises a brow, hesitates, then turns. She too smiles when she sees the furry shape sitting in the window.

‘Meow,’ Ms. Rosa says.

‘Are you going to let her in?’

Angie sighs, considering it. ‘No, I think she’ll be alright for a while.’

‘Good. No distractions,’ Peggy turns Angie’s head with a finger on her chin, ‘Where were we?’

‘Well, you were about to kiss me.’ Angie feels a laugh brush against her face.

‘Oh, was I?’

‘Shut up, English.’

Another low meow sounds from outside, but neither one bothers to pay Ms. Rosa any mind. Peggy reaches forward and takes a kiss. The mewling grows louder.

‘Let’s take this somewhere else,’ Peggy suggests.

‘Right behind you.’


End file.
